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Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I Own

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week we're talking about authors we own. I think this is especially interesting because it goes a step beyond asking which authors we read most often.

Who occupies the most space on our shelves? Which authors do we choose to buy rather than borrow?

My top ten "owned" authors are:

1. Jane Austen Not only do I own all of her novels, I have multiple editions of every single one. A girl can never have too many copies of Pride and Prejudice, right?

2. F. Scott Fitzgerald My husband gave me a beautiful leather-bound set of his novels several Christmases ago. Throw in the few paperbacks I already had, and that's nearly a whole shelf.

3. John Steinbeck Not only is Steinbeck one of my favorite authors, he was also prolific. In addition to his novels, I also own Travels with Charley (two editions) and a couple volumes of his letters.

4. Willa Cather Although I've only read a few of her novels, I've been collecting them for years.

5. Wallace StegnerCrossing to Safety is my favorite novel. I've been on a mission to acquire and read all of Stegner's work.

6. Richard Yates It started with Revolutionary Road and The Easter Parade. Then I wanted to know more about the author and turned to A Tragic Honesty: The Life and Work of Richard Yates by Blake Bailey - seriously the best literary biography ever. That lead to A Good School, Disturbing the Peace, Cold Spring Harbor, and The Collected Stories. Yates is a favorite, but there is an overwhelming sadness about his novels. I've taken a break and am now ready to read the rest of his work.

7. Edith Wharton If Edith wrote it, I probably own it!

8. Henry James Edith and Henry were such good friends, I can't help but think of them together. He occupies nearly as much space as Edith on my shelf and while I truly love several of his novels, I'm intimidated by his later works. The thought of page-long sentences just scares me.

9. John Irving The World According to Garp was something of a cult favorite back in the late 70's or early 80's. I've been buying and enjoying Irving's novels ever since... until I hit the wall in 2005 with Until I Find You. Maybe it's time to give him another chance?

Who is the most unread author on your shelf?
For me, this somewhat dubious distinction goes to Ian McEwan. I liked Atonement and The Comfort of Strangers, but began collecting his novels after loving On Chesil Beach. I currently have four on my TBR (to be read) shelf.

Oh, you have some beautiful leather-bound books! Lovely. I equated the books I "own" with the books I've "read" because I've bought the majority of the books I've read over the years. Many, many bookshelves in our house. :) And now, generally, I just "own" them on my Kindle. Irving is on my list, too--he actually tops it. I was surprised to realize I've read almost ALL of his novels over the years. And Austen is on my list, of course!

Leila - I seem to borrow most of my contemporary fiction now, although the kindle daily deals have me adding to my ebook collection far too often. I was surprised at the number of Irving's novels I've read. Have you read his last few? I gave up on Until I Find You and haven't read what he's written since then.

Trust you to be heavy on classics! I love the leather bound books. I've read several most of Fitzgerald's and Steinbeck's work but I'm not sure I've tried Edith Wharton and Henry James. It's an embarrassing hole in my reading education! Great list!

I would add an "amen" to your list. Love Richard Yates and Wallace Stegner. Not sure why I don't have any of RY's books on my shelf...perhaps it's the sadness factor in his stories...there are some books that are magnificent but, because of that bleakness/sadness quality of the book, I doubt I could bear to reread. I'd put Things They Carried on that list.

Edith and Henry (sigh). When I first read a volume of their letters to each other, years and years ago, I expected great literary thoughts, but mostly there was kvetching (mostly from Henry). I think that's when I fell in love with the two of them together. :)

I love this meme--I'm with you on Austen and Fitzgerald (although I have the paperbacks from the 70s and 80s, not any nicely bound copies). Also, Steinbeck.My Wharton is growing, but I don't "own" her yet.

Henry James might be the author who owns me--lots of James but I haven't actually read much (just Turn of the Screw, and Wings of the Dove >30 years ago!).

JaneGS - Those well-worn old paperbacks from the 70's and 80's are still on my shelf, too. I just can't part with them! Wing of the Dove is one of the "scary" James novels I've been avoiding. Daisy Miller, Washington Square, and especially Portrait of a Lady were wonderful.I've read Turn of the Screw a few times and always have a different interpretation.

I love that very colorful collection of Fitzgerald. I own several of his as well but would love a pretty edition! McEwan is another author that I collect but haven't read (except Atonement). Lots of classics on your shelves!!

I wish most of my books weren't packed away in boxes so I could participate in this exercise. Having said that, I now realize that my number one author must be Anita Brookner since I own all 24 of her novels. Pym and Murdoch must be close seconds.

Such classic authors! And beautiful editions. I have the whole Harry Potter series and I own every Harlan Coben book and lots of Brenda Joyce and John Sandford. I own many Charles Dickens but have only read A Chrsitmas Carol at this point! His others are so long :)